2.5, The Thirteenth Ordeal(?) - Tale of the Gods -
This Tyrrhenus boldly sailed a massive ship to his sister Adamantia's island of Sicily to rescue the unlucky man Heracles from his misfortune, forging a deep friendship with him as a human champion against the gods...
Yeah, right. The moment he arrived on Sicily, he got caught by big sis Adamantia.
......Anyway, she's like a ghost, I swear.
"Hey, you bastard, what's this sudden visit? Spill it honestly."
"Nah, just came to see you, sis."
"Cut the bullshit. Why are you really here?"
"Uh...... Give me a sec to think up a reason."
"Wanna die?"
"Wait, hold on—just gimme a minute. I'm sure it's something important."
I'm in danger. Big sis Adamantia suspects me. If I show any weakness to that fierce, blazing behemoth of a monster, this precious body of mine will suffer in agony.
......But wait, I haven't done anything wrong, have I?
"No, really, I was just passing by and stopped in. Is that such a crime?"
"......Don't give me that crap. There's no way you'd just drop by. You have some agenda, don't you?"
"Well, yeah, I do have a purpose. I heard there's a human here, so I got curious."
"Thalassa blabbed, huh? It's not exactly a secret."
"......"
When I asked if there was a human, sis grinned. Her lips curved into an arc beneath that subtle mask. Even her eyes—I could picture them crinkling with laughter. Not a gentle smile, but one where her mouth was straining all the way to her ears.
......Ugh.
"......How's he doing? At work?"
"Well, he's Heracles, so he's got the knack. At first, he couldn't even handle fire, but now he's picking things up fast."
"Whoa, reaching that level in just a year? That's a first since Hephaestus, right?"
"Hey, that guy only lasted three years before bailing. I'm done getting my hopes up."
I steered the talk to work to avoid seeing her smile, and she reverted to the stoic sis I knew. With her face masked, I couldn't see much beyond her jaw, but her flat voice and uncurved lips were enough. Her mood had settled nicely too.
Aah, relief.
"Tone it down a bit. Hephaestus and the Cyclopes are master smiths out in the world. Do you have to trample their pride like that? Go easy on them."
"Go easy? You think working iron is child's play? It's not like handling bronze. If you don't teach it strictly, iron won't become anything useful. Talk after you know what you're saying."
"No, what I mean is, if you'd properly trained those guys and sent them out by now, you could've had power instead of being a Protogenos like us—power like Zeus or Poseidon."
"I'm not interested in that crap. Ever since Zeus, that son of a bitch, stole the lightning I made for Mom, I cut ties with all that."
"......Sigh, there you go talking big again, sis."
Power—the authority gods wield alongside their divinity, domains, and might. Just as Zeus, king of the skies and thunder, holds dominion over the heavens and the world, Poseidon commands earthquakes and the seas, bending the Aegean to his will. It's the force to rule mortals freely with one's godhood and abilities.
Mom, me, Thalassa—we relinquished power so long ago that later gods manipulate our bodies while demigods and divinities live atop them, and we've let it be. But sis, one of the oldest Protogenoi, is different.
"Humans still can't handle iron, sis. Teach one how before Zeus gets his hands on it. Make at least one more god who can work iron."
"There aren't any who can do it right away. What am I supposed to do?"
"Then raise one who can. Why do I have to keep saying the same thing?"
"I tried raising them, but they didn't grow. Is that my fault?"
What sets sis apart as the Protogenos of Mount Etna, different from the rest of us? She forged the adamant sickle from Mom's bones that cut off Uncle Uranus's dick. No human, nymph, or god can freely wield adamant except her. Unlike us, she still holds the potential for the greatest power.
But,
"Let's get this straight, sis. Did they not grow, or could they not grow?"
"What the fuck, you little shit? You done talking?"
"......Sorry, my bad. Sorry."
"Sigh, watch your mouth for real. I won't let it slide next time."
Gods can't handle iron for some bizarre reason. Controlling the fire to make it is hard enough, and the winds are even trickier. That's why even Hephaestus, a bronze master, failed at smelting iron. The Cyclopes before him made Hades's helm of darkness but couldn't touch iron either. And above all...
"Those guys have egos through the roof already. They're so proud of mastering bronze that they can't accept failing at iron. That's not my fault, right?"
"Sigh."
"I want to pass on my knowledge quick too. It's just me and Typhon who can even speak here in this forge. I might forget how at this rate."
"Hey, now there's one more."
"Oh, that kid?"
A total newbie?
"......How's he doing? Picking it up okay?"
"Eh, he's not bad. The kid's got talent. Nailed the basics in a year."
"Ho ho."
"Just talent, though. His actual progress is way behind the Cyclopes or Hephaestus. Obviously. But he's got one real strength."
"What's that?"
"Insane strength. His arm power's about on my level."
"......"
No way, sis is terminal. Heracles is starting to seem pitiful in a whole new way.
"......His strength is that good, sis?"
"Huh? Yeah, super good. He could match me in arm wrestling."
"......"
Heracles, I'm sorry. Sorry for a sis like this. Mom raised us wrong.
......Really, sorry.
"Sis, ever think why he'd challenge you to arm wrestling?"
"Huh? He, uh...... He bragged that his arm strength beat Apollo's and stuff, so......"
"And????"
"I said let's do it."
"......"
Aah, Heracles!!! Nooooo!!!!
"Heard from Thalassa he's even acting as your attendant these days?"
"A-attendant? Nah, just odd jobs. Odd jobs. He can't work iron yet, and we barely touch bronze here."
"The world calls that an attendant, sis. So what kinda stuff does he do?"
"A while back, he was learning to cook from the nymphs."
Is he insane? Or is Heracles actually one of Zeus's nymphs in disguise?
"......He's definitely a guy, right?"
"Yeah, obviously a man. Super handsome too. And strong......"
"You say that stuff to his face?"
"Uh...... I told him he's handsome once."
What the hell is this? One side brags about strength, fails, and learns cooking. The other praises his looks and vigor, then arm wrestles him...... Wait,
"......Who won the arm wrestling?"
"It, it was a tie."
"Oh god, Mom."
I couldn't help but let out a deep, profound, scorching sigh.
No, matching a Protogenos like sis in strength is seriously impressive! Impressive, sure! But this damn sis!
The guy's turning weird—snap out of it!!!
......Of course, as the youngest Protogenos, I couldn't say that to my eldest sis.
But.
"Did you go all out?"
"Yeah, I gave it my all, and he...... probably did too."
"How was it?"
"Never seen arms like that. Even Atlas couldn't match 'em."
"You said that to him?"
"I was gonna."
"......"
Fuck, I can't take it.
"Sis, you like him????"
"Wh-what??? What'd you say?"
"Do you like Heracles?"
"Uh, as a disciple, I cherish him...... or something. Feels a bit different, though."
"Just answer: like or dislike."
"L-like."
No fucking way, this is critical. Where do I even start drawing lines?
"You like him, so why hold back? You idiot?"
"......Wanna get tossed?"
"No! You like him, and from what I see, he's head over heels for you too. What are you waiting for? Humans these days don't play like that!!!!"
"......I'm ugly."
Aah, damn, landmine. Fuck it, too late now.
"Ugly? Who cares? If a guy and girl like each other, they just go for it."
"G-go for it? And he's human, I'm a goddess."
"Who gives a shit about that anymore? If we did, Mom wouldn't have back pain from all the demigods. Just pop out one yourself."
I was about to unload a tirade from the rising heat, but mentioning demigods made sis blush with a smile.
......But that's weird.
"......Feels kinda nice for me too."
"What'd you say????"
"N-nothing. Anyway, sis. From what I see, he's definitely into you. Give it a real shot. Who knows? Might work out."
"Yeah, got it. I-I'll try."
"Alright, I'm off then."
"Already?"
As I stood to leave, sis actually looked disappointed for once. Rare sight. To avoid a beating, I'd usually sit back down for safety.
"Yeah, supposed to head to Thalassa and Mom's today."
"Oh, right. Okay. See you there next time then."
Sis deflated, promising next time. Good, lady—no swaying me with that. And you're not welcome at Mom's anymore, so brace yourself.
If things go well, I might get a brother-in-law. Demigod or not, Heracles—who cares? If my sis marries the handsomest guy in Achaia (Greece), that's a win.
"Wait up, Thalassa. I gotta join that plan of yours, no matter what."
Looks like it's time to drastically shift the direction of my bold, crucial plan. Sorry, Heracles.
Arms bend inward, y'know? Once you're bro-in-law, I'll take a few hits for you. Call it even.
You...... You've gotta become my brother-in-law.
I crossed the sea at top speed, heading straight for Mom's palace.